US442347A - Railway-car telegraph - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. R. ARNOLD.

RAILWAY GAR TELEGRAPH.

Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' (No Model.)

0. R. ARNOLD. RAILWAY GAR TELEGRAPH.

Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

2, M @51 W Clflfomefif wiimaawo graph, of which the following is a specificaneer from any car of the train and such sig- I Unitas Starts ATENT Urrrcn.

CRAIG It. ARNOLD, OF SHARON HILL, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAlLWAY-CAR TELEG RAPH.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,347, dated December 9, 1890.

Application filed July 13, 1889.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CRAIG R. ARNOLD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Sharon Hill, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Railway-Car-Signal Teletion.

My invention relates to apparatus for sig naling on railway-trains from a train-man to the engineer, and vice versa.

My invention consists in the general combinations of apparatus hereinafter described, whereby a signal may be given to the enginal may be answered or repeated from the locomotive without using the locomotivewhistle.

Myinveution consists, further, in special arrangements whereby the train-circuit may be supplied from a dynamo on the engine and the current may be adjusted to the number of cars composing the train.

My invention also relates to the manner of forming the circuit through the train and of completing the connection between cars of the train, as well as to other details and combination which will be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

The various combinations and improvements constituting my invention will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then specified in the claims.

In carrying out my invention I aim to dispense with continuous bell-ropes running through the train by substituting push-buttons or other circuit-breakers on each ear of the train placed in position to be readily accessible.

In my improved apparatus I also organize the circuit and apparatus so that the change of circuit condition produced on an year shall be felt and be capable of observation in every other car on the train, so that no one can give a signal to start, stop, .or reverse, or other signal without the knowledge of every one on the train. I further aim to cause a continuous signal to be given by a vibrating bell on the locomotive in case the train should part at any point. By making the stop-cock in the air or steam train-pipc operate a circuit-con- Serial No. 317,421. (No model.

troller of any suitable description, so as to put the train-circuit in its normal condition, I insure the operativeness of such circuit, because the act of closing such cock on the rear car of a train is the usual and necessary action in order to maintain the air or steam pressure in the train-pipe. An equivalent nay, and one which may be used in connec tion with or separately from that just specified, would be to make use of the so-called dummy coupler at the end of the car. The purpose of these dummy couplers is to support the coupler at the rear of the last car of the train and at the same time make an air-tight joint that shall close the rear end of the air or steam pipe, so that the air or steam may not escape, and it in fact serves, in con nection with the coupling itself, the same purpose as a stop-cock in thisrespect. In this case the coupler when hung up would operate to complete or act upon the traincircuit in any proper way to put the same in normal condition. If, for instance, the coupler carry an insulated contact forming one electrode of the circuit and the body of the coupler be the other pole, contact of both poles with the iron dummy would obviously close circuit. \Vhen, therefore, in the claims at the end of this specification I specify a stop-cock as operating a circuit-closer or controller for acting 011 the train-circuit, I wish to be understood as including the equivalent arrangement just described for sealing or closing the terminal of the train air-pipe.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a general diagram illustrating the connection of the electrical apparatus. The manner in which the train-circuit is formed and the detail connecting devices are omitted from this figure for the sake of simplicity. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the coupling devices and stop-cocks of an air-brake pi pc as connected to form a train-circuit. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the hose-coupling provided with the devices for completing the train-circuit connect-ion when the hose is coupled. Fig. at is a vertical section through the supporting devices for the spring-contact mounted on each halt of the coupling. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section through the hose-pipe.

G is an edge view of a circuit-closing sprii'lg on the stopcock in the 2tl1bl'tle pipe. Fig. 7 is a vertical section through a coupling hung to a dummy-coupler so as to complete the train-circuit at the end of a train. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a double tap-bell used on a car.

A is a dynamo-electric machine placed on the locomotive of a train or the tender for the locomotive and driven by an engine taking steam preferably from the locomotiveboiler. This dynamo may be of any desired pattern and will furnisha source of current constant and reliable, being far preferable to the galvanic batteries ordinarily employed for train-signaling, whiclrare'uncertain and unreliable.

Bis the armature of the dynamo, O the commutator-cylinder, and D D the ordinary commutator-brushes.

The dynamo may be likewise used as a means for operating an electric lamp in the locomotive head-light.

The train-circuit is indicated by the numerals 5 6, and is in a circuit from the dynamo-brushes D D by suitable wires or connections 4 7. In the circuit thus formed and on the locomotive within control of the engineer is an artificial resistance G, of any suitable character, provided with a handle working over a scale provided With numerals corresponding to the number of cars on the train. Turning the handle toward a lesser number of the scale increases the resistance and in an opposite direction toward a greater number decreases the resistance, as is required with a greater number of cars. A compensation is thus provided'for differences of resistance of the train-circuit corresponding to differences in the number of cars composing the train. The maximum resistance of G corresponds to the maximum number of cars which are likely to compose a train. l/Vith a lesser number the engineer turns the handle to the corresponding number, thereby increasing the resistance of G correspondingly, so that practically the total resistance will be the same Whatever the number of cars. As the graduation of resistance is according to the resistance of the individual cars, the adjustment may be readily made by the engineer when he knows the number of cars on the train by simply turning the handle to the number.

The train-circuit, formed in the manner to be presently described, is a closed circuit. On each car and in series circuit with one another throughout the train are one or more circuit-breakers P of any suitable character and one or more signal-receiving instruments M, adapted to give a signal preferably on both the opening and closing of the circuit. The circuit-breakers P may be ordinary push-buttons located on the side of the car.

The instruments M may be made as ordinary electro-magnetic tap-bells, the armaturelevers of which are provided with two bellhammers, as indicated in Fig. 8, one adapted to strike the hell on the opening of the circuit and the other on the closing. Signals by the Morse code may thus be readily given, the taps corresponding to the front and back strokes of a sounder. The front stroke also serves to signify that the circuit has been completed or put in normal condition, as will be presently described.

L is a circuit-breaker in the train-circuit and placed on the locomotive so that the engineer may answer or repeat the signal from a car of the train by breaking the circuit and causing the bells M to operate.

- Signals are received on the locomotive by *the instrument Hfwhich is placed in a separate branch 8 8 from the main circuit at point 2 and controlled by a relay F of anysuitable character in the main circuit. The branch 8 includes the back contact N N of the relay, and is closed whenever the main circuit is broken.

H is preferably a vibrator-bell, which continues to sound so long as the circuit 8 is closed.

E is an artificial resistance,which is placed in the main circuit between the dynamo and and the point 2 of division of the main and local circuit, and serves to cut down the dynamo-current so as to prevent injury to the apparatus. The resistance G is placed in the circuit beyond the point of division. Its adjustment will not therefore affect the operation of the instrument in the local branch 8 8, wh ch is of practically constant resistance.

The dynamo A is also used for producing light for the locomotive headlight, which I accomplish by putting an electric light J of any suitable character for said head-light in another branch 10 1O taken from the dynamo. In this branch and on the locomotive I place a switch K of any form suitable for admitting current to the light J at pleasure.

The resistance E before referred to is preferably large or of such amount that the variations in the amount of current forced into the lamp branch will not be great when the main circuit is opened or closed.

To form the complete train-circuit 5 6 I propose to make use of the permanent pipes, usually made of iron, running beneath each car and coupled together throughout the train, so as to make a-continuous pipe for the conveyance of air or steam under pressure. As it is a part of my plan to make the circuit partially through the conductors leading through the coupling-hose at the end of the car, I prefer generally to employ the train air-pipe for the purpose, since steam would be liable to injure the insulation. One side of the circuitthe outgoing or returnbeing made through the pipes, the other side, as 5, is made up principally of an independent insulated conductor. Both sides of the circuit mayin accordance with my invention be completed through couplings between the cars and be made by the very act of coupling.

The train air-pipes of two coupled cars are shown at 14: 14, the nipples in which they terminate at 15,the hose at 1-3, and the coupl r at ll. Each half of the coupler, which may be of the usual pattern, has a screw-plug bearing an insulated electric contact 27, borne by a rod 40 and resting on a spring 31, which in turn rests on a block 30 of conducting material. These parts are supported in a piece 2.) of insulating material sueh as insulated fiher made, prefer. bly, as a tube, which is seated or fixed on the center of the plug or block 33 and insulates the contact 27 from the body of the coupler. A collar 34 of conducting material on the outside of t be tube receives abinding-screw 32, which passes through the collar and into piece 30, thereby making connection to the contact 27 from insulated wire 20 within the hose and fastened at one end to the collar by the screw. Connection between the other end of wire 20 and conductor 21 outside the piping is made through a tight-headed plug of insulating material inserted through a hole in thenipple, from within and through which plug passes a screw 17 of conducting material.

16 is a nut, and 18 a washer of conducting material at opposite ends of the screw, and 19 is a washer of non-conducting material on the outside. The ends of the wires 20 21 are clamped, as shown. ire 21 connects with wire 5 on the car, and, so with the bells and push-buttons, through spring 23, forming a part of the circuit, but also serving as one of the contacts of a switch, as will be presently described. Insulated w ire 38, passing through the hose, is connected at one end by a suitable clamp, as shown, to the body of the coupler and at the other to the train-pipe. It will be noted that thus the wires or conductors 20 and 38 terminate in two insulated terminals, whereby when a car is uncoupled the circuit is broken.

As will be obvious, in placing the two couplers together the wires 5 of adjoining cars will be connected through engagement of the insulated spring-contacts 27 at the center of the two halves of the coupler, and the pipes 14: will be electrically connected through the wires 38 and the body of the coupler.

To insure the connection of the two sides of the circuit at the end of the train,l utilize the stop-cock, which must be used to close the air-pipe, and which is caused to operate on a circuit-closer of any character when turned for thepurpose of sealing the air-pipe.

12 is the stop-cock; 25, the handle -arm thereof, which requires to be set into horizontal position to close the pipe.

26 is a block of insulating material Iixcd to the stop-cock body and carrying a bow-spring 23, which is in electrical connection with the wire 5 through attachment of the latter to it.

24 is a contact-arm carried by the cock and adapted to engage with 23 when the cock is turned, so that its pin 85 will engage the stop at 36. The arm, being in electrical connection with the stop-cock and pipe, will obviously connect conductor and the conducting air or steam pipe forming the other side of the circuit. Such closure of the air-pipe and the circuit at the rear of the train will be announced on the bells M of the various cars of the train through contact of the bellhammer with the bell, breakage of circuits by instruments P or L, or by rupture of the train being indicated by hammer b.

It is obvious that the use of the dummycoupler 50 at the rear of the train in the ordinary way would serve also to close the circuit, the circuit in this case being completed through engagement of the contact 2-7 and the body of the coupler carrying the same with the same mass of conducting material forming the dummycoupler.

To form the circuitdescribed for the apparatus, Fig. 1, it would be only necessary to join wire l on the engine to the wire 5, leading from the stop-cock in the air-pipe at the rear of the tender, and to connect wire '7 to the air or steam pipe 14: on the locomotive, or to some part in good electrical connection therewith. The circuit would then be from brush D, resistance E, relay F,resistance G, circuit-breaker L, wire 5, spring 23, wire 21, through the coupler-contacts 27 at the front of the first car of the train, through the wire 5 and instruments P M in the circuit thereof 011 the car, and so on through successive cars to the contact 23, at the rear of the last car, to the stop-cock, the pipe 1t on such car, and back to the locomotive-wire 4t and the dynamo, through the coupler-bodies, wires 38, and pipes 14: of intermediate ca s; or, at the rear of the train, the circuit, instead of going by spring 23 and stopcock, might go by wire 20, contact 27, dunnny-coupler 50, body of rear coupler, wire 38, and so back by the pipes 14 to the locomotive.

\Vhile the bow-spring 23, located and constructed as shown, affords in connection with the arm on the stop-cock a convenient means of closing the circuit, I do notlimit myself to this construction, but may use any form of device adapted to close the circuit when the stop-cock is turned. It is also obvious that the closing of the circuit by the coupler when the latter is made to close the pipe at the rear of the train might be accomplished by other circuitrclosing devices beside those described. The manner described of closing the circuit is desirable, because it makes use of the contact devices which are used in coupling the pipes of the cars.

Other ways of mounting and supporting the spring-contact on the coupler might be used, and the connection between the conductors 20 and 21 mightbe made by other devices,without departing from the general principles of my invention. The means shown are, however, especially useful and efficient.

'hat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of an air or steam trainpipe, an electric circuit containing signaling devices, and a stop-cock with a circuit-controller operated by such stop-cock for operating the signaling devices in the signaling-circuit, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with an air or steam train-pipe and an electric circuit comprising signaling devices and formed in part over the air or steam train-pipe and in part through a separate conductor, of a stop-cock carrying one member or electrode of a circuit-closer and a second electrode or contact connected to the separate conductor of the train-circuit and in position to be engaged by the electrode carried by the stop-cock when the latter is turned, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with an air or steam train-pipe, an electric circuit formed in part over the train-pipe and in part through a separate conductor, the conductors for each car terminating in insulated terminals at the pipecouplings, and signaling devices included in the circuits, of a stop-cock in the train-pipe carrying one electrode and a second electrode included in the separate conductor, whereby when the cars are uncoupled the train-men are notified when the stop-cock is closed, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a train-pipe and an electric circuit, the conductors of which 01 each car end in insulated terminals, and signaling devices comprised in and adapted to operate both at the opening and closing of the circuit, of a stop cock adapted to close the circuit when it closes the train-pipe, whereby a signal is given both when a caris uncoupled or ruptured and upon the subsequent closing of the stop-cock, substantially as described. 5. The combination, witha railway-trainsignal apparatus, of a dynamo-machine on the engine supplying current to the train-circuit :to which signal receiving and transmitting apparatus are connected, a separate branch or loop on the engine containing an electriclamp, and a circuit controller or switch in said loop, as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with the dynamo-machine on the locomotive-engine, of the three separate circuits or branches, one a train-circuit, a second consisting of a local circuit containing a signal-bell and controlled by a relay in the first, and the third consisting of a loop or branchincluding a locomotive headlight.

7. The combination, with the air-pipe hose, the coupler, and the air-pipe, of the insulated conductors within the hose, one attached at its ends to the air pipe or nipple thereon and to the coupling, the other passing through an insulating-plug near the end of the airpipe to an external conductor and connected on the coupling to an insulated contact.

8. The combination, with the train-signal circuit and local circuit on the engine, of a dynamo on the engine, a resistance in thecircuit thereof between the dynamo and the point of division of the train-circuit and local circuit, and an adjustable resistance in the train-circuit beyond thepoint of division.

9. In a railway-train-signal apparatus, the combination, with a train-circuit supplied from any suitable source on the engine, of a branch from such circuit containing a signal device, and an adjustable resistance on the engine and in the train-circuit beyond the point of connection of the branch.

10. The combination, with the coupler, of the plug, the insulating-tube mounted thereon, a block of conducting material at the bot tom thereof, and a spring-contact consisting of a headed spindle carried on a spiral spring supported in the tube and resting on the contact-block.

11. The combination, with the hose-coupling for an air-brake, of a screw-plug bearing a piece of insulating material seated in said screw-plug, and an electric contact mounted on the same at the center of the coupling, and means for connecting the contact with an electric circuit, substantially as described.

Signed at Chester, in the county of Dela- I ware and State of Pennsylvania, this 12th day of June, A. I). 1889.

CRAIG R. ARNOLD.

- Witnesses:

B. W. BLAKELEY, FRANZ RABL.

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